Knox Overstreet "Jammer Failed/Coming Around" 7 inch (Abominable Records/2000)

I know... I know... This blog has been greatly neglected the last few months but for those of you have been following Here On This Island you'll be thrilled to know that I have ripped all the last remaining releases that I have planned to share here. Everything should be wrapped up in the coming weeks and from there I shall focus on my new blog which I'll be launching soon as well as some regular posting once again on Away From This Island. Anyhow...in wrapping up some of the discographies that I was promising to complete here is a 7 inch from a band whom I have spoke very highly in this space and whose passing I still lament, no other than Knox Overstreet. They were such a great band and the two songs on this 7 inch, "Jammer Failed" and "Coming Around" are just aces. This two song 7 inch was the second release on Abominable Records who were a short lived label out of Nassau County. Their first release was the It Was Certainly a Grand Piano CD compilation and I believe they had one more release a cd-r from the band HelicopterEjectionSeat. Anyhow back to Knox-once again they played driving melodic indie rock/emo that was a mix between Garden Variety, Indoor Living era Superchunk, Afghan Whigs and even Big Star. The songs were super catchy and none of the instruments were over bearing, Knox Overstreet I have say had one of the most mature and balanced sound out just about any band I have encountered in the local scene over the years. No one was trying to show off or anything like that-it was all about the songs and they were all great. I have know shared the band's entire discography here as well as some live stuff, I can't recommend their music enough.

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Rok Lok Records Showcase August 20th

Here is a flyer for a show that I am putting on August 20th at Mr Beery's in Bethpage. It is a Rok Lok Records showcase of sorts as it features bands I have done releases for or will be doing releases for in the next few months or so. The DEEP POCKETS Demo cassette came out this past winter and it rules. If you haven't picked up a copy yet do so now! BRICK MOWER's Why Are We Doing This? 7 inch is in production right now, VEHICLE BLUES from Missouri will be on a split 7 inch with KEVIN GREENSPON that will be going to press this fall. And both GIANT PEACH and MAKE IT PLAIN are two bands whom I love a great deal and will be looking to do something for towards the end of 2011. Most likely 7 inches.

The info for the show is as follows:

Rok Lok Records presents:
Saturday August 20th
@ Mr Beery's 4019 Hempstead Turnpike Bethpage, NY
9PM 21+ $5
featuring: DEEP POCKETS, BRICK MOWER, MAKE IT PLAIN, VEHICLE BLUES, FAMOUS LAUGHS, and GIANT PEACH.

Check out the bands:

Deep Pockets Demo on Bandcamp
Brick Mower Why Are We Doing This? on Bandcamp
Make It Plain on Bandcamp
Vehicle Blues on Myspace
Famous Laughs on Myspace
Giant Peach on Bandcamp

Risk "Demo" cd-r (2010/self released)

Here is a fairly recent release but I am not really certain to the extent of which this material was made available or how many of this demo actually made it into the hands of folks so I figured why not share it. Risk, not to be confused with the band from the mid west this Risk is a four piece that resides in Brooklyn but two of the members were originally from Long Island and each in their own ways played significant roles in making Long Island DIY what it was in the late 90s/early 00s. Guitarist/vocalist Jay Melli was in bands such as Scent of Human History, Sometimes Walking Sometimes Running, United States, Jan Cux, etc while guitarist/vocalist Bryan Winston was a part of making the Long Island Freespace a reality.

Risk plays fast screamo/emo fury infused hardcore that reminds me of bands like Yaphet Kotto, Shotmaker, and even a bit of Kaospilot. A style of music that admittedly I listen to less and less these days but when done right I still absolutely love. You know classics never die and when I hear current bands of this ilk cherry pick the Ebullition archives so to speak I can't help but get excited. This four song demo cd-r comes packaged in a re-purposed brown paper bag with graphics glued on. Totally DIY packaging that really takes me back. I can't help but think of late night Kinko's hang outs with my friends making zines and demo packaging. Great stuff.

Risk "Demo" track listing
1. Need to Burn
2. Bombs Away
3. Living Dead
4. Bloodlines

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Encrypt Manuscript "Dialogues" cd (Tone Library Collective/2003)

Today's upload comes courtesy of Encrypt Manuscript who burst onto the scene displaying exceptional, kinetic musicianship and a front man that had, as they say, a flair for the dramatic and with those things combined Encrypt Manuscript quickly became a formidable live band. Their music was a brand of high energy, math-y post hardcore that experimented with jazzy parts from time to time. Dialogues is the debut release from this band who as I stated in my previous post about their 7 inch, Encrypt Manuscript were a band that in my opinion didn't release enough material in their tenure as a band. Their releases progressively got better and better. Dialogues is a fantastic document of a very talented band finding its footing, and while it is a good document I do believe there are some steps along the way that feel a bit awkward when stacked next to their more or less flawless 7 inch and Census full length. Still Encrypt Manuscript lay fantastic framework of what to expect on future releases and even more so set the stage for their live show with a blistering At the Drive In meets Make Believe approach post hardcore. This is also the inaugural release on The Tone Library Collective label who released quite a few cool things in their short time releasing music including music for Rachel Jacobs, Empty Silos Echo War, The No Nucleus comp and of course material from Encrypt Manuscript. One of my favorite aspects about Encrypt Manuscript is that they seemed to appear almost randomly. They didn't play shows every weekend and like I said only had a handful of releases during their tenure as a band. So I guess what I am saying is that when they played it seemed all the more exciting. It was like "hey remember us?" and then you got floored. Seriously.

Encrypt Manuscript Dialogues track listing
1. Riot Cop Fox Trot
2. The Dead Sleep Here/Theme For Seagulls
3. Parabola Modes
4. How Do You Syllabicate Your Name?
5. (Re)consider The Hysterical Consortium

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Porcelain Decay "s/t" 7 inch (Sot Records/2000)

Okay folks... I am back. As promised I shall start to finish up the remaining uploads I have planned before unveiling my new blog (which I am very excited about). And I suppose you should be too if you like obscure indie rock/lo fi and shoegaze because I'll uploading plenty. Today's upload comes courtesy of a melodic DIY punk rock band called Porcelain Decay which featured current/ex members of Fellow Project, Bridge & Tunnel, Contra, Church of the Rowdy, and 3 Mylile. They played catchy, politically charged DIY punk rock and outside of this 7 inch the only other thing the band released to my knowledge was a track and in my opinion their best one to the "Who Has Two Thumbs and Loves Long Island Punk and Hardcore" 7 inch compilation on Traffic Violation Records. Porcelain Decay were a ton of fun live and you can guarantee that vocalist "Lord Snake" (Adam from Contra) would put his fingers in a gun formation to his head mid song at least five times a set every time they played. I know right now somewhere my good buds Joe and Tia are wondering "why is Mike posting this" but the fact remains that Porcelain Decay were an integral part of what was going in the late  90s Long Island DIY scene so I'd be completely remiss if I were to not share it. Personally speaking I feel the music does have a rather dated quality to it but that is just fine with me. This vintage Long Island Y2K DIY punk rock! Enjoy!

Porcelain Decay "s/t" 7 inch track listing
1. DIY Revolution
2. Punk Rock High Pt 2
3. Down In It
4. Porcelain Decay

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Last Dude Japan Show

Hey everyone! Dude Japan will be playing our last show Sunday July 17th at Mr Beery's in Bethpage, NY. It is the kick off show for Deep Pockets' tour. Also playing are Polygon, Crow Bait and our buds from Massachusetts, Snow What. Personally speaking, this will most likely be the last time I ever perform music live so it would be nice to see some friends that have been along for the ride over the years. It is time for me to take on new challenges in my life.

On July 16th we start recording our final ep which will be released  via cassette on Bridgetown Records and on cd from Rok Lok Records. Thanks for listening it means the world to us.

Knox Overstreet/Radio Raheem "split" 7 inch (Pony Collision/2002)

Free time has been in extreme short order so maintaining either of the blogs has been extremely difficult. Good thing I didn't go ahead with my third blog sharing my entire indie/shoegaze/lo fi vinyl/tape collection. I guess that will have to wait til the fall. In any event here is a record that I was meaning to upload a few weeks ago, the split 7 inch between Knox Overstreet and Radio Raheem. Somehow, someway this record wound up in my hands. I wasn't able to get any for the distro but I Phil Sutton (drummer for Radio Raheem) was kind enough to hook up one of their biggest fans with a copy of this awesome but poorly distributed (as far as I can tell) record. Many of my friends from those days who enjoyed both Knox Overstreet and Radio Raheem didn't even know that this record existed. Crazy! Anyhow each band offers up a track and they are both on their A games. I have posted a few releases from both Knox Overstreet and Radio Raheem- don't be a tool download them all.

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